Maths can lead to great things?
by MezInWonderland
Summary: Highschool au. No powers Steve is failing maths and who better to help than the school resident genius? Tony is more than ready to help. He sees it as his chance to get closer to Steve Some fluff


"How can you be failing maths?" Peggy demanded. "You're so clever."

"I just… I don't understand it. You know I've always been more into art than anything else. I guess I just haven't been putting as much work into it." Steve said looking at his feet.

"Well how's that working out for you? If you don't get your marks up you won't even get considered for New York and you deserve to be. Get your act together!" Peggy said getting in his face, poking his chest.

"I know but I just don't understand." Steve said dejectedly.

Tony was sitting on the table behind them in the courtyard at lunch trying to surreptitiously listen to their conversation. He sensed his chance. Steve was gorgeous. Tall, blond and lovely. Of course Tony wanted some of that. Although Tony was not sporty, he was very popular and Steve was not. "Sorry for listening in." Tony grinned, not looking at all sorry. "But I can help you if you want?"

"That'd be so great. Thank you Tony!" Peggy, Tony thought her name was, said smiling. Steve looked wary so Tony tried to smile encouragingly. His 'friends' hadn't always been the nicest to Steve so he had the right to be, but he knew Steve was desperate and everyone knew Tony was a genius. Tony hadn't really being willing to help people before but well, have you seen Steve?

"Yeah okay. Thanks that'd be great." Steve said with a small smile.

"Awesome. Do you want to come to mine?" Steve only nodded so Tony took out some paper and wrote down his address and number and handed it to Steve. "Is 6 okay? We can have some pizza or something."

"Yeah. Thanks again Tony." Tony grinned and got up to walk away. As he walked away he heard Peggy say to Steve "You can totally thank me later." Tony grinned. This was going to be fun.

Steve had texted Tony asking him what pizza he wanted him to bring, and damn if that didn't make his heart flutter, and turned up on the dot of 6. He looked shy and was looking down at his feet. Tony grinned and invited him in, having already set out the table in his lounge for him and Steve, and took the pizza out of his hands setting it down on the table. "Take a seat. You want a drink? I got coke, lemonade or water."

"Uhh.. coke please." Steve still looked nervous. Tony would have to fix that. He came back in with a tray, on it he had tomato sauce, napkins and drinks. Steve was looking round his apartment with wide eyes.

"Where are your parents? Do you live here alone?" Steve asked, innocently. Tony thought he must be joking, everyone knew his parents were dead, but he really hated to talk about what happened to them.

"They're dead so yeh I do. Maybe we should do some maths." Tony avoided the subject. Steve looked confused but smiled and nodded. He took out his last paper and threw it on the table looking at it disdainfully.

"I was wondering if maybe we could go over what I got wrong in this. I have to hand it back in corrected but I just don't understand. But be warned, when I say what I got wrong this is basically all of it." Steve grinned cheekily. Tony noticed he was still looking shy so set about trying to change it. He smiled encouragingly at Steve and said "Yeah we can do that." He opened the paper and was assaulted with masses of red marks crossing things out. Gradually he and Steve worked through the paper and by half past 7 they had almost finished and Steve had gained some confidence. He was smiling and laughing.

For the next few weeks they did this every day and Steve was going from strength to strength. He was also nearly completely confident around Tony. He still blushed occasionally and they had yet to really talk but he loved every minute of it. Every time Steve got one right on his own he would just light up and it was the most gorgeous thing Tony had ever seen. Tony knew Steve was surprised when he acknowledged him at school and when he let him in with a grin but Tony knew Steve was enjoying his time. However Tony was worried. Steve was really coming on. What happened when Steve didn't need his help anymore? His crush was wildly out of control now. Steve showed up at that point, interrupting his thoughts, absolutely soaking wet. While Tony could appreciate a soaked Steve he said "Did you walk? In this? I could have picked you up, idiot." Steve grinned but his teeth chattered. Tony shoved him towards the bathroom, making him sit down, before wandering to his room and coming back with a fluffy towel and some of his too large clothes. He threw them at Steve and said "I'll be in the lounge when you're done" shutting the door behind him. Steve eventually walked in and Tony's breath caught. He would say he hadn't imagined Steve in his clothes, but he would be lying. However he never thought it would look this good. He had a hard time concentrating as he tried to teach various circle theorems to him, Steve didn't appear to notice though. He also didn't notice how Tony basically begged him to keep them and take them home.

They were getting closer, Tony noticed. They talked now, about how people talked about Steve because he was gay, but didn't talk about Tony the same way. They talked about school and plans for the future. They talked about Tony, a lot. He'd never felt this cared for. Eventually of course the subject of Tony's parents came up and Tony found he didn't want to avoid it with Steve. He told him everything. How his father had hated him and his mother just wasn't bothered. He felt his eyes well up slightly and started when Steve's arm came around him pulling him close. He hadn't had many hugs in his life but he knew this one was the nicest he'd ever had. He unashamedly buried his face in Steve's neck and waited for himself to calm down. Him and Steve had been closer since then, spending lunches together at school and one night Tony even made dinner for the two of them. Admittedly it was only macaroni and cheese but Steve seemed to appreciate it. Of course this couldn't last. Nothing this good ever lasted for Tony Stark. Of course his crony 'friends' had noticed his behaviour. He was only popular because he was rich and an asshole to most people. That wasn't him though. Steve brought out the best in him. People actually wanted to talk to him for him now.

However one day, Steve had been in art class late and Tony had had to go with his 'friends'. He didn't involve himself in the conversation, merely walking at the edge. He grinned when he saw Steve talking to Peggy by the lockers and was about to call out hi when one large boy said "Hey, gay boy, what have you been doing with Tony? Bet you can't keep your disgusting hands of him, right dude?" Tony just stood there shocked. "Yeah man, bet you have been trying all sorts on him. You're completely disgusting." "Sick man." "You should be locked up. He's only still helping you so he gets credit." "You're worthless dude. Once you've passed you'll be nothing again." Tony was struck by a horrible feeling in his heart as he saw Steve look at him. He was really worried about that though. He didn't want Steve to leave him. Tony watched as Steve just turned and walked away but he could see the red on his face and the hunch as he walked. He should have said something! Why didn't he say something? He tried texting Steve to ask if he was coming over tonight but after no reply, he made his way over to Steve's house. He knocked and when Steve's mum answered he put on his most charming smile and said "Hey Mrs. Rogers. Can I please talk to Steve?" Steve's mum looked wary. She obviously knew he was involved somehow. "I'm not sure dear. He's pretty upset. I don't know if he wants to talk."

"Please. I just want to talk to him. I need to apologise." He looked at her earnestly. She appeared to be cracking and replied "Okay, he's in his room. Just please dear, be nice, he cares a lot about you. We all do. We want to see you here more often." Tony was shocked when she hugged him and quickly hugged back. She pushed him towards the stairs which he took two at a time. He knocked on the door and went in to find Steve curled up on the bed facing away from the floor. "Mum, I told you I don't want to see anyone."  
"Not your mum Steve."

"I especially don't want to see you Stark. I was humiliated. And you said nothing. NOTHING! I thought we were friends." Steve sniffled. "Leave."

"No." Tony said. "I'm not going anywhere. I was wrong not to say anything. I was just shocked and I was thinking about how they said once you passed you were just going to leave me. That's all I've been thinking about recently, and I'm sorry. I wanted so badly to be your friend as well as helping you."  
"We were friends! But friends defend each other." Steve still hadn't turned over.

"Steve, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. You're my best friend. I didn't want you to get hurt. You're the most important person I have. I'm sorry." He cautiously went over to Steve and rested his hand on his shoulder. He didn't know how to comfort people but he had to try for Steve. "You make me a better person. You make me want to be with people and I actually tell you things. I tell you things I've never told anyone. I'm sorry for what they said to you. I told them what I thought of them after you'd gone and how I wanted nothing more to do with them." He tried his luck putting his hand in Steve's hair, sighing happily as Steve pushed into it. Before he knew what was happening Steve was in his arms, sobbing into his neck.

"I'm sorry. I'm not angry. I just don't understand why they talk to me like that. You're my best friend too."

"Stop saying sorry. I will do everything I can to make this up to you okay? They shouldn't talk to you like that. I'll make sure they stop. Regret they were ever born."

"Don't be stupid Tony." Steve laughed and it was the best sound Tony had heard.  
"I'm really not. I will make sure they pay." He was rubbing Steve's back in a manner he hoped was soothing. Steve was snuffling into his shoulder and said "Yeah whatever Tony" sleepily. As his breathing evened out, Tony realised he was asleep. He laid Steve down and stroked his hair out of his eyes. He scanned the room for a piece of paper and wrote a note _Hey Sleeping Beauty. Don't think you need the maths work today so I'll see you tomorrow? I hope. I'm sorry for everything. Really. You are everything and I don't want to lose you when you ace your maths. I guess I kinda felt like you wouldn't need me anymore. Sleep well Steve. Tony xx_. He contemplated the xx for a long time before deciding to just go for it. Before he left he spoke to Steve's mum.

"He's fallen asleep, I think he got worn out being upset." Tony spoke to her.

"Okay honey. You know you're welcome over for dinner anytime. Steve doesn't stop talking about you. Did you fix it?" Steve's mum was gorgeous. She had Steve's smile and warmth.

"We fixed it I think. I said he didn't need to come over tonight so I'll just see him tomorrow." She looked at him in a way he couldn't understand before letting him out of the house with a quick, have a good evening.

As he walked home, he thought about Steve. He decided to go out and get dinner on his way home when he got a text saying _better get enough for 2. I'm outside in the car. Maths is hungry work. Steve x. _Tony could have sworn his heart jumped out of his chest, none the less he ordered some Chinese and jumped into Steve's car.

"How'd you know I was here?"

"Saw you head down this road and knew this was your favourite place." Steve grinned as he drove them to Tony's house. Tony noticed the car was empty apart from a bag of clothes.

"No maths stuff?"

"No I thought we could watch a film tonight. Mum said I could stay if that's okay." He looked sheepish but he needn't have worried. Tony grinned and asked if he had any films in mind.

"Nahh. I was thinking something I didn't have to think about with lots of explosions."

"Die hard?" Tony grinned as he said this. He loved die hard and he loved spending time with Steve.

"Perfect." Steve said as he pulled up. They went inside and Tony set out their dinner on plates. When he walked into the lounge, Steve had set the dvd up and was waiting for his food. He looked up when Tony entered and beamed.

"Now if only I didn't know you were only grinning because I have food." Tony winked. Steve just continued to smile and patted the space next to him. Tony plopped down, slightly too close to Steve but he didn't say anything. By the end of the film Tony was drifting off on Steve's and he couldn't bring himself to care. He had fallen there when he was drifting. When he woke up in the morning he and Steve were cuddled together with a blanket over them. "Steve.. wake up." He said shaking him. "Oh, hey. Morning." Steve didn't make any effort to move. Tony grinned and before he knew what he was doing, he had kissed Steve. He tried to scramble away saying sorry, but Steve's grip on him was vice like.

"Tony. Shut up." He said, and promptly kissed him square on the mouth.


End file.
